It's The Ashes (again)

[Lurker#3]

Looking at the weather I think we'll get one sessions play. Probably between lunch and tea.

So we need to come out all guns blazing try and get another couple and pray for some play Sunday to finish them off.

[Ted Maul]

I've given up thinking about the weather. England have done everything they can in this game, if it pisses down for two days so be it.

Two sloppy games at Edgbaston and Lords has cost us not the rain. Still, Australia will know they've got away with one here. This England team, especially the batting will only get better and better across the next few years, forgetting the fact we've had Pope who averages over 40 at #3 to come back in.

Qué Sera and all that.

[Tom Joad]

Only the weather can save these wankers now. Managed to get some tickets for Sunday, so hopefully it’s not too bad.

Fair play to you. We looked and couldn't get anything under £250 a ticket. Via-bloody-go go. I'm determined not to use them.
What a great day, again! Time will tell if we were right to bat on but for me,  it was.  Put every effort into not having to bat again as the pitch might not be as good and if we didn't, the Aussies would take advantage. As it is, they look like they are feeling the pressure. Whatever the future is for 5 day cricket, the Ashes is everything it should aspire to be.

[Cheshire East Baggie]

Pat Cummins completely lost the plot on days 2 and 3. Dismal display of captaincy when faced with the full might of England's aggression. I can't imagine he'll be the Aussie's captain for long if he can't save this series. He needs the weather, for sure. If the Fifth Test is the decider, should he be "rested"? His bowling has been poor since Lords.

What's becoming more obvious is that we should be 3-0 up, not 2-1 down. OK, Wood was (apparently) not quite fit, but put Woakes in ahead of Anderson, Foakes behind the stumps and we win at Edgbaston and Lords. Jimmy offering very little again in this match, he's bowled loads of overs 'cos they're desperate to get him to 700 wickets, but not a nibble.

Bairstow is bleating in the press about criticism of his keeping. His argument appears to be "If people knew how bad the broken leg was they might see things differently". No, Jonny, if we knew how bad the injury was we'd be thinking "Why are they picking a bloke who is just about adequate when fit, but is still recovering from a bad broken leg?".

[Fido]

Pat Cummins completely lost the plot on days 2 and 3. Dismal display of captaincy when faced with the full might of England's aggression. I can't imagine he'll be the Aussie's captain for long if he can't save this series. He needs the weather, for sure. If the Fifth Test is the decider, should he be "rested"? His bowling has been poor since Lords.

What's becoming more obvious is that we should be 3-0 up, not 2-1 down. OK, Wood was (apparently) not quite fit, but put Woakes in ahead of Anderson, Foakes behind the stumps and we win at Edgbaston and Lords. Jimmy offering very little again in this match, he's bowled loads of overs 'cos they're desperate to get him to 700 wickets, but not a nibble.

Bairstow is bleating in the press about criticism of his keeping. His argument appears to be "If people knew how bad the broken leg was they might see things differently". No, Jonny, if we knew how bad the injury was we'd be thinking "Why are they picking a bloke who is just about adequate when fit, but is still recovering from a bad broken leg?".

Not a lot to disagree with here. As much as I’d have loved a 5-0 pasting of the Aussies if we do win this after being 2-0 it will be far sweeter.

[wba13]

Pat Cummins completely lost the plot on days 2 and 3. Dismal display of captaincy when faced with the full might of England's aggression. I can't imagine he'll be the Aussie's captain for long if he can't save this series. He needs the weather, for sure. If the Fifth Test is the decider, should he be "rested"? His bowling has been poor since Lords.

What's becoming more obvious is that we should be 3-0 up, not 2-1 down. OK, Wood was (apparently) not quite fit, but put Woakes in ahead of Anderson, Foakes behind the stumps and we win at Edgbaston and Lords. Jimmy offering very little again in this match, he's bowled loads of overs 'cos they're desperate to get him to 700 wickets, but not a nibble.

Bairstow is bleating in the press about criticism of his keeping. His argument appears to be "If people knew how bad the broken leg was they might see things differently". No, Jonny, if we knew how bad the injury was we'd be thinking "Why are they picking a bloke who is just about adequate when fit, but is still recovering from a bad broken leg?".

What has Bairstow done to you, except for the injury he has been our best player since Baz ball started and fully deserves his place, ok he stared the ashes behind the wicket badly, is that his fault he was picked as wicketkeeper batsman. We found a place for the player who has been outstanding for 18 months and as the stats show fully deserves his place, this he showed in this test a wonderful innings and a brilliant catch. So he wasn’t bleating but telling it as it is.

[Tom Joad]

Pat Cummins completely lost the plot on days 2 and 3. Dismal display of captaincy when faced with the full might of England's aggression. I can't imagine he'll be the Aussie's captain for long if he can't save this series. He needs the weather, for sure. If the Fifth Test is the decider, should he be "rested"? His bowling has been poor since Lords.

What's becoming more obvious is that we should be 3-0 up, not 2-1 down. OK, Wood was (apparently) not quite fit, but put Woakes in ahead of Anderson, Foakes behind the stumps and we win at Edgbaston and Lords. Jimmy offering very little again in this match, he's bowled loads of overs 'cos they're desperate to get him to 700 wickets, but not a nibble.

Bairstow is bleating in the press about criticism of his keeping. His argument appears to be "If people knew how bad the broken leg was they might see things differently". No, Jonny, if we knew how bad the injury was we'd be thinking "Why are they picking a bloke who is just about adequate when fit, but is still recovering from a bad broken leg?".

Cummins is a very good player, test bowling average still about 22 runs per wicket. Only made captain because Smith's ban and the then first choice replacement not working. I agree he'll be stood down when they inevitably reappoint the banned cheat but he is a world class bowler and, like Starc, a bit bewildered against the pure aggression of England's batting. 
Woakes has made a huge difference, as has the 90+mph of Wood. I'd never knock Jimmy, he still only goes for 2 an over, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
I feel for Bairstow. He gives it all but isn't as good as Foakes. He has certainly played a massive part with the bat though of course, dropping Crawley would be the only way to accommodate Bairstow and look what happened with Crawley this time.
They can only pick 11 and its nice to be giving the no.1 side in the world a battle. I genuinelythink nearly all our mistakes were at Edgbaston and we got punished. To come back from 2 down would be the greatest Ashes in my lifetime. Still hoping.

[Tom Joad]

Shocking weather. C'mon, give us an hour! Days like this I'm glad I don't have a ticket. Have memories of spending all day in pubs in Moseley waiting for a break in weather that just doesn't come. Or the day against Bangladesh (I think, about 2006) when we got into Edgbaston about 10.30 just as rain started and didn't stop until about 5. The teams promptly came out for about 10 overs so we got no money back. Refund rules were different then.

[Peachy]

Just switched it on. Are we only allowed to play spin?

[Fido]

Just switched it on. Are we only allowed to play spin?

Pretty much